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Italy and Croatia (2-3 weeks) in September 2012

My husband and I are traveling to Europe in September/October 2012. We are 29 and 30 yrs old. We have both been to Europe before and have visited the major cities and landmarks.

This time our priority is to spend enough time in each location to relax, explore, visit the beach when in seaside locations and eat great food.

We are flying into MILAN on 4 September and intend to spend 2 nights there.

We then have about 16 nights from 6 – 22 September and we would like to fit in the following locations if possible:

ITALY:
Lake Como
Cinque Terre
Portofino
Tuscany
Amalfi Coast

CROATIA:
Dubrovnik
Hvar

Does anyone have any suggestions as to the number of nights we should spend in each of the above locations and the order of locations leaving from Milan and ending in Rome as we plan to travel from the last of the above locations to Rome on 22 or 23 September to meet a relative for 2 nights.

We are thinking of going from Rome to either Sardenia, Corsica or Sicily for 2 nights. Any suggestions as to which might be the best option?

Then onto Malta from 26-30 Oct to attend a wedding and visit relatives.

Then we are thinking of going to Bordeaux (or somewhere different in France – suggestions welcome) for 3 or 4 nights, then Paris for 4 nights to visit a friend then onto London for 4 nights before flying home.

I've not been but I'm researching Croatia for my own trip (but have been to many of the Italian places you mention) and I think you should cut out Croatia for this trip altogether. It's really not "along the way" of your other interests and required stops. Besides, Croatia demands more than a few days (again, this from from other travelers) and Tuscany alone could be a week (Siena, Lucca).

I'd give Lake Como 2-3 days and Cinque Terre 3-4. We drove from Milan to Lake Como then down to Cinque Terre and that was all fine. Driving is no problem but give yourself extra time for road blocks, construction, goats (this happened to us between Lake Como and Venice). As for the Amalfi Coast, I would research whether it closes down after the summer. Certainly other parts of "beachy Europe" do after mid-Sept.

Careful of the weather in France at the end of Oct/beginning Nov. It will be getting dreary and cold.

Post in the Italy and French forums for more on those places. There are those there who know much more than I.

You are so fortunate to have all that time, so I would not squander it by trying to fit all of that in. I suggest either moving south from Milan to Rome, where you can probably do everything on your list except Croatia, or give Croatia a proper visit by moving east from Milan to Venice, then into Croatia and down the coast before returning to Rome.
You've got a lot of flight searching to do for now.
October may not be beach weather in Croatia, and I would for sure not bother to go to any of the islands you mentioned for only two nights. Though maybe if you cut something else out you can make your way to Sicily as I believe ferries to Malta are an option. You are in for quite a treat though, lucky you!

ITALY:
Lake Como: 3 nights max
Cinque Terre:1-2 nights, i found it to be more of a postcard picture place, not too much to do
Portofino: 1 night, same as above
Tuscany: spend the bulk of the time here, there's much more to do and lots of little towns to drive to, you could spend as little as 3 nights or as much as 2 weeks, but no less than 3
Amalfi Coast: i'd say 3-4 nights would be good

As for order, Lake Como I usually drive to from Milan. I'd do Amalfi last since it's the most out of the way, the others can be done in between in whatever order you prefer. Trains are easy between these.

I'd recommend Sicily. My favorite place in Italy (and I've been everywhere), and it even trumps Como for me. Stay in Taormina if you can!!

I would suggest at least 9 or 10 days in Croatia. We sailed the Dalmatia coast last summer aboard the Atlantia, an 11 Passenger gullet. We went from Dubrovnik to Split stopping each night at a different island. We spent 2 Days in Dubrovnik and 2 days in Split. It was a wonderful trip, great food and a good crew. Each day was another "World Heritage Site". You can take a night ferry from Bari, Italy to Dubrovnik. This is the web page for Atlantia http://www.dalmatiancoast.com/croatia/gulet-charters-cruises/atlantia/photo-gallery.html

I think Croatia deserves more time too. I was on a 7-day cruise (combined with more days in Venice at the beginning) down the Dalmatian Coast. We covered Dubrovnik, Split, Hvar, Korcula, Rovinj, Pula, Sibenik and Kotor, Montenegro. I would have enjoyed more time too. Incidentally, I far preferred Korcula to Hvar.

I would forget Croatia until you have at least 10 days to spend---tough travel logitics.
In Italy, I would pick 4 destinations---the AC demands a week if you go that far. I love your destinations---you just need more time.